Thirteen Chinese nationals living in several states face numerous charges stemming from the alleged theft of used cooking oil to be processed and sold as biodiesel.
A federal grand jury in Des Moines returned a nine-count indictment early last month, the alleged suspects with charges related to a racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to commit the offense of interstate transportation of stolen property, and money laundering.
As alleged in the indictment, the defendants committed thefts of used cooking oil. A statement from the U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of Iowa said the defendants drove trucks to restaurants and stole cooking oil from collection tanks located at restaurants throughout Iowa, and in Tennessee, Minnesota, Indiana, Ohio, Alabama, Illinois, Nebraska, Missouri, and Kentucky.
The defendants then transported the stolen cooking oil to warehouses in Nevada and Ankeny, Iowa; Lewisburg, Tennessee; Dora, Alabama; and Tipp City, Ohio.
The U.S. attorney's statement said the defendants sold the stolen cooking oil and laundered the proceeds.
Charged in the Indictment are:
- Tianzhu Chen, 33, of Flushing, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property, and two counts of money laundering
- Jingliu Chen, 55, of Flushing, New York, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
- Yong Chen, 32, of Brooklyn, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property
- Xian Quan Guo, 48, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
- Jianfa Huang, 40, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and interstate transportation of stolen property
- Fukang Wang, 37, of Staten Island, New York, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
- Futao Wang, 36, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and interstate transportation of stolen property
- Jie Wang, 30, of Dayton, Ohio, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
- Xiangjing Wang, 34, of Des Moines, Iowa, is charged with racketeering conspiracy, conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate, and two counts of interstate transportation of stolen property
- Danrong Zhang, 38, of Flushing, New York, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate and money laundering
- Changxu Zou, 41, of Tulia, Texas, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
- Changyu Zou, 38, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is charged with racketeering conspiracy and conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
- Wenrong Zou, 32, of Edmond, Oklahoma, is charged with conspiracy to transport stolen property interstate
In connection with the case, federal search warrants and arrest warrants were executed today in Iowa, Ohio, New York, Kentucky, Oklahoma, and Texas.
Xian Quan Guo, Jianfa Huang, Futao Wang, and Xiangjing Wang made their initial court appearances before a U.S. magistrate judge of the United States District Court for the Southern District of Iowa. Trial was set for Feb. 2. The remaining defendants will make their initial court appearances in the Southern District of Iowa on later dates.
The U.S. attorney said an indictment is merely an allegation, and all defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in a court of law.
